ZD30 Engine Challenge - Intermittent Power Loss

[GU3_P@trol]

A real brain teaser for any ZD30 experts.

About nine months ago the engine started to just stop occasionally (2003 model, 220K kms). It usually happened after a few short trips and about 50-200m from the last stop it would just die! Sometimes it would start again, other times you had to leave it for 10-15mins and it would go again. Didn’t stop every trip out only some!! Can drive to work in the morning and home at the end of the day with no issues? Stop on the way home and it's a different story?

It has a chip and exhaust, so thought it might be a chip issue. Got it ran it on the dyno for $200+ and told me they thought the injector pump was the problem and for $5K it should fix it. Decided to take it to Nissan where for another $300 they ran a full diagnostics, inspected the fuel system and injection pump and couldn't find any problem (no codes had previously been set apparently) and said there was nothing wrong with the injection pump. Kept driving it with random stops still occurring.

The fuel filter has been drained or changed numerous times, fuel lines replaced, connectors checked and cleaned, ran without chip connected (made no difference), cursed at it, kicked it, cleaned airflow sensor etc.

Purchased an ECU Talk reader, works great but no codes have been registered since installed a few weeks ago. Have replaced the Crank Angle (revolution) sensor with no joy :-( And trust me when the wife drives 15 min down the road to buy some fuel then prawns (bless her heart) and it takes her 3 hours to get home due to random stopping there is no joy!

Vehicle still stops randomly after a number of short trips. Sometimes this is just a straight loss of all power, and occasionally it will now miss a few times before shutting down. Still no codes or engine warning light! Today I quickly went on and off the throttle when it started to die and got a few more seconds of life out of the engine before it died. I could also restart straight away and it would idle fine, but would stop when trying to drive (just normal load). Then sat for 5 mins and was able to drive home with no issue??

Hopefully there is someone out there that can help me get this sorted. I know it’s going to cost some money, but I would like have an idea of what could be wrong before I continue to spend money for people to fault find with no idea of what it could be or what it could cost me!!

Cheers

[meh]

Went through exact thing. Injector pump

[GU3_P@trol]

Any specifics on what the exact issue with the injector pump was?

[Sir Roofy]

Could be to much boost and going into limp mode

[meh]

Sensor in the pump.
They put a reconditioned pump in. New lift pump. Crank angle sensor. $4770 all up

[june]

has vehicle got nads? as roofy said it might be going into limp from over boosting.

[GU3_P@trol]

Roofy and June, don't believe it's limp mode. When I say loss of power, I mean the engine actually stops/cuts out. I have had limp mode before and the engine still ran, just with reduced power.

Thanks for the info meh, but when I took it to Nissan suspecting the injector pump, they tested it all and said it was fine??

Will keep on looking.

[boots]

I still think that it's the pump regardless what mr nissan have said. My old mans did the same.

[GU3_P@trol]

Any idea's on how to test or prove that the injector pump is faulty? Not overly keen on spending $4+K without something to give me some level confidence it will solve the problem.

Cheers

[meh]

Have your fuel lines checked for air. Check your fuel tank for gunk.
Oh another easy one to check is your ecu relay that could be faulty